Enclosed variable speed transmission



Dec. 10,1940. Y I P. B. REEVES I2,224,369

ENCLOSED VARIABLE SPEED TRANSMISSIPN Filed Aug. 3l, 1934 INVENToR Paul .ReeVea) ATTORNEYS BSM Patented Dec. l0, 1940 ENCLOSED VARIABLE SPEED TRANSMISSION Paul B. Reeves.'Columbus, Ind., assignmto Reeves Pulley Company, Columbus, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Applieetion August 31, 1934, serial No. '142,223

21 Claims.

The present application relates broadly to vari- .able speed transmissions. and more particularly' to the enclosed type of such transmissions. Specifically, the invention is directed to means for axially shifting one of a pair oi coned discs which cooperate to form an expansible V-pulley.

A primary object 'of the invention is to provide novel means for so shifting such a disc. vA further important object of the invention is to provide, in an enclosed variable speed transmission, mechanism capable of positively shifting such a disc in ,both directions, all of such mechanism, and the disc itself, being hung on a closure plate forming a portion of one wall of the housing for such transmission, in such a way that removal of the closure plate extracts from the housing such disc, together with its operating mechanism; whereby the endless belt forming a part of the transmission may readily be removed or replaced. Further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the aboveand related objects, my invention may be embodied in the forms illustrated in the laccompanying drawing, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawing is illustrative only, and that change may be made in the specific constructions illustrated and described, so long as the scope of the appended claims is not violated.

A 39 Fig. l is a sectional view of an enclosed variable speed transmissionconstructed in accordance with the present invention, and

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary-section through a modied form of the invention. u Referring more particularly to the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1, it will be seen that I have illustrated a housing I0 formed with arpalr of aligned apertures II and I2 in which are received roller bearings I3 and I4 respectively. A shaft I5 is iournaled in said bearings; and, within the housing, said shaft carries'a coned disc I6 having an elongated hub I1. Upon said hub there is slidably mounted the hub I3 of a second coned disc I9, said hub I8 beingheld against 4- rotation with respect to the hub I1, by keys 2o.- At the extremity er the hub i1 farthest from the disc I6, there is secured an element 2i forming an abutment for one end of a coiled spring 22, the opposite end of which bears against the disc lI8 to urge said disc I9 toward the disc vI0. It will be seen that the discs I6 and I9 cooperate to form a resiliently expansible V-pulley.

The housing II! is formed with an aperture 23 in one wall, said aperture being closed byl the 55 end frame ofV a motor 24, secured inpplace outside the housing. The spindle 2B of said motoris thus positioned within the housing and la coned disc 26 is fixed cn said spindle 25. Said disc iti is lprovided with an elongated hub 2l which, as is clearly shown in Fig. 1, is formed with a bore 5 23 extending throughout the length thereof. The hub 29 of a further coned disc 30 is slidably, mounted on said hub 21, being held against rotation with respect thereto by one or more keys 3I. It will be seen that the discs 28 and 30 col0 operate to forni an expansible V-pulley; and an edgeeactive belt 32 provides a driving connection between the pulley formedby the discs 28 and and the pulley formed bythe discs IS and I9.`

Fixed on the hub 29 of the disc 3@ is a thrust l5 bearing, indicated generally by the reference numeral 33. Said bearing comprises one element 3l which is not intended to rotate with the disc. Secured to said element 3i is a member having a projecting linger 38 which, at its free end, 20 is provided with furcations which straddle a rod, 31, whereby the member 35, and consequently the element 34, are held againstv rotation. Stop nuts 33 and 33 are adiustably positioned onthe rod 31 to limit the axial movement of the member 35. gg

It will be readily 'perceived that axial movement of the member 35 will be transmitted through the element 34 and the bearing 33 to the disc 30.'

Opposite the aperture 23, the housing it is a@ formed with a larger aperture 40 which is adapted to be closed by a closure plate 4I. It will be l seen that the dimensions of the aperture 40 are s ufilciently large to permit-passage therethrough of the disc 30. The rodl 31 is carried by the plate 4I. l

Substantially centrally, theplate 4I is formed with an aperture 42 in which is iournaled a'memberg which, at its outer end, projects outwardly beyond the plate 4I and carries a lhand wheel 3, the hub 45 of which engages a surface vof the plate 4I. The wheel 44, being rigidly xed to the member I3, vwill prevent inward movement of said' member. A snap ring IB carried in a groove in thev member 43 engages the inner surface of the 45 plate II, and holds said member 43 against outward movement. The inner end Aportieri of the member 43 is threaded, asnat 41, for-threaded engagement with `the member 3l. j It will be clear that the member I3 comprises a screw which isrota'tably.- but nonreciprocabiy, carried' bythe plate 4I; and rotation ofwhlch, in opposite directions, will eifect positive axial g movement,v in opposite directions, ofthe member 35, bearing 33, and disc 3l. '.55

` belt 32 will be forced outwardly between the discs,

ley formed by discs 2l and 30 is a minimum; while the effective diameter of the pulleyformed bythe discs ls and is isamsximum. nthe' hand wheel 4I is now rotated in a direction such as to move the disc 30 toward the disc 25, the

whereby the effective diameter of the pulley formed by the discs 26 and 30 will be increased. Such movement of the belt will force the belt inwardly into the space between the discs I5 and Il, thereby forcing the disc I9 to move toward the right, against thevpressure of the spring 22. Opposite movement of the disc 30 will permit the belt to move inwardly into the groove between the discs 2l and 30; and the spring 22 will force the disc I9 toward the disc I6 to take up the resultant slack in the belt.

The member 35 carries a post I8 upon which is mounted a nnger 49 engaging an indicator` needle 5! mounted for oscillation upona pivot 5I. In the illustrated embodiment, spring means (not shown) is provided for constantly urging the free end of the needle 50, toward the right as viewed in Fig. l. As the member l5 is moved toward the right, the spring correspondingly moves the needle 50: and as the member I5 is moved toward the left, the finger 49 forces the indicator 50 to move toward the left.

The bearing I4 may, if desired, be mounted as shown in a socket in a plate 52 which closes an. aperture 58 in a wall of the housing I0.

Preferably, a tube 54 is engaged-in the lefthand end of the hub 21, and carries at its outer end a lubricating fitting 55, access to which may be had byl removing the cap 58. Oil or grease may be forced through the fitting 55 and tube 54 into the bore 2l, from which ports lead, for instance, to the keyways, and/or to other parts of the organization which require lubrication.

It will be seen that, when the plate 4i is removed, the disc 30, together with all of the elements which enter into the positive shifting of said disc, will be extracted from the housing through the aperture 4.0. Thereafter, the belt 32 may readily be 'removed over the end of the hub 21, dropped out of engagement with the pulleyy accesso v shift the disc l1 toward or away from vthe disc 54. Rigidly secured to the lever 12 is an element I2 which is connected, through a link 83, with an arm 84 of a' bell crank lever pivoted at 55 on the plate 15. The opposite arm 85 of said bell crank lever comprises an indicator needle; and it will be obvious that, as the lever 12 is swung, the indicator l5 will be correspondingly moved.

A screw closure l1, coaxial with the spindle 453, closes an aperture in the plate 15 through which'access may be had to a greasing fitting 3B leading into the bore 89 formed in the hub 55.

It will be clear that, when the plate 15 is removed, the disc 51, together with all of the elements which cooperate in the axial shifting of said disc, will be extracted from the housing'50, whereby the belt is may be removed from the housing in the manner above described.

' By the term thrust bearing, as used in the present specification and in the .claims appended hereto, I mean a bearing of such character as to transmit axial forces positively in-either direction. Thus, the bearings l! and 10 of Figs. l and 2, respectively, each comprise an inner race positively held against relative axial movement in either direction with respect to its associated Y disc, an outer race, a series of balls snugly received in annular grooves in the respective race vmembers, whereby said race members and balls cooperate to lock the race-members against relative axial movement, and a casing element positively held against axial movement in-either direction with respect to the outer race member.

I claim as my invention: 1. In a device of the class described, a housing. a shaft positioned in said housing, a coned disc fixed on said shaft and having an elongated hub, a. second coned disc slidably but non-rotatably mounted on. said hub. a removable plate forming a portion of the wall of said housing adjacent said second disc, a thrust bearing operatively associated with said second disc, and

means cooperating with' .said bearing and oparable-to shift said second disc in opposite direotions with. respect to Asaid first disc, said lastnamed means being secured to said plate whereby, upon removal of said plate, said second disc and said bearing are extracted from said nousformed by the discs Il and I9, and removed from ing the housing through the aperture 53.

In Fig.- 2, I have illustrated a modified form of the invention in which the housing "is formed with an aperture OI closed by the end plate of a motor 52, the spindle l53 of which is positioned within the housing 50, and carries a disc 5I, fixed on said spindle, and having an elongated hub i5 upon which the hub 55 of a disc 51 is ymounted. The disc 51 is axially but nonrotata-' bly movable with respect to the disc Il, being held against such rotation by one or more keys 58. An edge-active belt 58, illustrated in Fig. 2, is similar to the belt 32. y

A thrust bearing indicated generally cludes a nonrotatable element 1I with which is engaged a lever 12 pivoted, as at 13, on an extension 14 carried by the plate 15 which, at times, closes the aperture 15. A link 11 is pivoted, as at 18, to the end of the lever 12 remote from the pivot point 13; and said link is formed with a threaded bore 419 in which is engaged a screw 80, journaled in the plate 15 and carrying, without the housing, a hand wheel II It will be seen that rotation of the screw 80 in opposite directions will operate, through the 'l5 link 11, lever 12, element 1|- and bearing 1|-, to

at 10 inf 2. In a device of the class described, a housing, a shaft positioned in said housing, a disc fixed on said shaft and having a coned face, a second disc coaxial with said shaft and slidable but non-rotatable with 'respect thereto. said second disc having a coned face presented toward the coned face of said'first disc, and said sec-l ond disc being located wholly on the coned side of saidiirst disc, a thrust bearing' operatively associated with said second disc, means hold- Iing one element of said bearing against rotation, a removable plate forming a portion of one wall `of said housing and formed with an aperture therein, and a screw iournalled in said aperture and held against axial movement, vsaid screw beingthreadcdly associated with said one element of said bearing for shifting the same in opposite directions, whereby. when said 'plate is removed, said screw, bearing and second disc are extracted from said housing.

3. In a devicevof the class described, a housing, a shaft positioned in said housing, a coned disc xed on said shaft, a second coned disc coaxial with said shaft and slidable but non-ro, tatable with respect thereto, a thrust bearing operatively associated with said second disc, means @o between said two accesso l said screw, bearing and second disc are extracted from said housing.

4. In a device of the class described, a housing. a shaft positioned in said housing, a coned disc fixed on said shaft, a second coned disc coaxial with said shaft and axially movable but nonrotatable with respect thereto, said second disc being located wholly on one side of said first disc,

a thrust bearing operatively associated with said second disc. a removable plate forming a portion of one wail of said housing, and a. screw rotatably but non-reciprocably' carried by said plate and operatively associated with an element of said bearing to shift said bearing and said second disc axially in opposite directions, whereby,

when said plate is removed, said screw. bearing,

and second disc are extracted from said housing.-

5. In a device of the class described, a 'heusa shaft positioned in said housing, a vconeding, d'sc fixed on said shaft, a second coned disc coaxial with said shaft and axially movable but non-rotatable with respect thereto, a thrust bearing operatively associated with said second v disc, a removableplate forminga portion of one wall of said housing, a lever pivotally mounted on said plate within said housing and operatively engaging an element of said bearing, whereby swinging movement of said lever in opposite directions shifts said bearing and said second disc axially in opposite directions, and a i w screw rotatably but non-reciprocablycarried by said plate and operatively associated with a freeend of said lever, whereby rotation lof said screw swings' said lever end, and whereby removal of said plate extracts said screw, lever, bearing, and

second disc from said housing.

, 6. In al device of the-classdescribed, a housing, a shaft journalled in said housing, a coned disc -flxed on said shaft, a second coned disc coaxial with said rst disc and axially movable. but

so non-rotatable with respect to said first disc.

spring means urging said second disc toward said i first disc, said discs cooperating to form a re- Y siliently expansible V-puliey, a second shaft positioned in said` housing, a coned disc fixed on said vsecond shaft, a furtherconed disc coaxial with said last-named disc and axially movable but non-rotatablel with respect thereto, said lastnamed discs cooperating to form a V-pulley, an

edge-active belt providing a driving connection v-pulleys, a lremovable plate forming a portion of the waliof said housing adjacent said last-named pulley, and means sev cured to said platev and4 to said last-named :tx-f. ialiy movable disc and operable to shift said last-v 5 named disc axially in opposite directions with respect to its fellow, said last-named disc being locatedbetween said belt and said plate whereby removal of said plate extracts said last-namedv axially movable disc from said housing without disturbing said belt'. '1. In a device of the class described, a housing, a shaft journalled in said housing, a conedl disc xed on said shaft, a second coned disc co,

axial with said first disc and axially movable ,zo but non-rotatable with respect to said mst disc,

spring means urging' said second disc toward said first disc. said discs cooperating to form a resillently expansibie V-pulley, a second shaft pof 'sitionedin said housing, a coned disc nxed on saidsecond shaft, a further coned disc coaxial with said last-named disc and axially movable but non-rotatable with respect thereto, said lastnamed discs'cooperating to form a V-pul'ley, an edge-active belt providing a driving connection between sa'id two V-pulleys, a removable plate -forxning a portion of the wall of `said housing housing. v

8. In combination, a shaft, a resiliently expansible V-pulley on said shaft, a second shaft parallel with said nrst shaft, a coned disc nxed on said second shaft, a'second coned disc coaxial with said first disc and axially movable but nonrot'atable with respect to said nrst disc, said discs cooperating to form an expansible il-pulley, an edge-active belt providing a driving connection between said Vi-pulleys, a thrust bearing associated with said second disc and axially movable in opposite directions to shift said -second. disc positively Ain corresponding directions, means holding one element of said bearing against rotation, and a. screw coaxial with said second shaft and threadedly associated with said one element'of said bearing.

9. In combination. a shaft, a resillently expansible il-puiley on said shaft, a second shaft parallel with said rst shaft, a coned disc fixed on said second shaft, avsecond coned disc coaxial with said first disc and axially movable but between said V-pulleys. and a screw coaxial with. said second shaft and rotatable but non-recipl rocable with respectthereto, said screw being operatively associated with, said second disc whereby rotationl of said screw in opposite directions shifts said second disc axially in opposite directions.

10. In a variable-speed transmission, two parallel shafts, an expansible V-pulley .mounted on leach of` said shafts, a one-piece endless V-belt operatively connecting said pulleys, a housing enclosing said pulleys and beltysaid housing being formed with an aperture concentric with one of saidvpulleys and large .enough to permit passage therethrough of said one pulley, a

.cover plate for said aperture, a 'non-rotatable member' within said housing non-reciprocably associated with an element of said one pulley, and means carried on said cover lplate and cpu Aenable-from 4outside said housing to reciprocate said member toexpand or contract said one pulley. .i p

1l. In a variable-speed transmission, two parallel shafts, an expansible V-pulley mounted on each of said shafts,'a one-piece endless v-belt I operatively connecting said pulleys, a housing enclosing said pulleys and belt, said housing being formed with an aperture concentric with one of said pulleys and large enough to permit passage therethroughof said one pulley, a cover plate for said aperture, a non-rotatable member within said housing non-reciprocably associated with an element of said one pulley, and means operable from outside said housing to reciprocate said member to expand orcontract said one pulley, said operating means being carried on 5 and necessarily removable with said cover plate, whereby removal of said cover plate extracts said member and said pulley element from said housing.

12. In a device of the class described, a shaft, a coned disc fixed on said shaft, a second coned disc coaxially facing said rst coned disc and axially shiftable but non-rotatable with respect thereto, a housing enclosing said discs, said housing being formed with an aperture concentric with said shiftable disc and large enough to permit passage thereof, a cover plate for said aperture, a non-rotatable member within saidlhousing non-reciprocably associated with said shiftable disc, means operable from outside said housing for shifting said member and shiftable disc, and position-indicating means outside said housing and operable by movement of said member to indicate the current position of said shiftable disc.

13. In a device of the class described, a shaft, a coned disc fixed on said shaft, a second coned disc coaxially facing said first coned disc and axially shiftable but non-rotatable with respect thereto, a housing enclosing said discs, said housing being formed with an aperture concentric with said shiftable disc and large enough to permit passage thereof, a cover plate for said aperture, a non-rotatable member within said housing non-reciprocably associated with said shiftable disc, means operable from outside said housing for shifting said member and shiftable disc, and position-indicating means mounted on said cover plate outside said 'housing and operable upon movement of said shiftable disc to indicate the 40 current position of said shiftable disc.

14. In a device of the class described, a shaft, a coned disc fixed on said shaft, a second coned disc coaxially facing said first coned disc and axially shiftable but non-rotatable with respect thereto, a housing enclosing said discs, said housing being formed with an aperture concentric with said shiftable disc and large enough to permit passage thereof, a cover plate for said aperture, a non-rotatable member within said housing non-reciprocably associated with said shiftable disc, means operable from outside said housing for shifting said member and shiftable disc, position-indicating means outside said housing, and an element carried on said member and operatively engageable with said indicating means to effect movement thereof in response to movement of said member.

15. In a device of the class described, a shaft, a coned disc fixed on said shaft, a second coned disc coaxially facing said rst disc, axially shiftable with respect thereto, and located wholly on one side thereof, an inner bearing race secured against axial movement with respect to said second disc, an outer bearing race surrounding said 55 first .bearing race, a series of antlfriction members received between said races and cooperating therewith to prevent relative axial movement of said races, a casing element enclosing said bearing races and held against axial movement with 70 respect to said outer race, means engaging said casing element to hold the same against rotation, and screw means threadedly engaging said casing element and rotatable to effect axial movement of said casing element, bearing, and shift- 75 able disc positively in either direction.

16. In a device of the class ducrlbed, a shaft, a coned disc fixed on said shaft, a second coned disc coaxially facing said first disc and axially shiftable with respect thereto, an inner bearing race secured against axial movement with respect to said second disc, an outer bearing race surrounding said first bearing race, l. series 0f antifriction members received between said races and cooperating therewith to prevent relative axial y, movement of said races, a casing element enclosing said bearing races, and held against axial movement with respect to said outer race, a housing enclosing all of such mechanism and formed with an aperture large enough to pass said shiftable disc, a cover plate closing said aperture, means carried by said cover plate and engaging said casing element to hold the same against rotation, and a screw, rotatably but non-'reciprocably mounted in said cover plate coaxial with said casing element, and threadedly engaging the latter.

17. In a device of the class described, a shaft, a. coned disc fixed on said shaft, a second coned disc coaxially facing said first disc and axially shiftable with respect thereto, a thrust bearing comprising an inner element axially fixed with respect to said shiftable disc and an outer element axially fixed with respect to said inner element, said bearing elements being relatively rotatable, means holding said outer bearing element against rotation, and screw means concentrically associated with said outer bearing element and rotatable to eii'ect axial movement of said bearing and shiftable disc positively in either direction.

18. In a device of the class described. a shaft, a coned disc xed on said shaft, a second coned disc coaxially facing said iirst disc and axially shiftable with respect thereto, a thrust bearing comprising an inner element axially fixed with respect to said shiftable disc and an outer element axially fixed with respectto said inner element, said bearing elements being relatively rotatable, a housing enclosing all of such mechanism and fonned with an aperture large enough to pass said shiftable disc, a cover plate closing said aperture, means carried by said cover plate and engaging said outer bearing element to hold the same against rotation, and a screw rotatably but non-reciprocably mounted in said cover plate coaxial with said outer bearing element, and threadedly engaging the latter.

19. In a device of the class described, a shaft, a coned disc fixed on said shaft, a second coned disc coaxially facing said first disc and axially shiftable with respect thereto, a thrust bearing comprising an inner element axially nxed with respect to said shiftable disc and an outer element axially fixed with respect to said inner element, said bearing elements being relatively rotatable, a housing enclosing all of such mechanism and formed with an aperture large enough to pass said shiftable disc, a cover plate closing said aperture, a lever pivotally mounted within said housing upon said plate and engaging said outer `bearing element, and screw means carried by said plate and operatively engaging said lever whereby rotation of said screw means effects swinging movement of said lever and axial movement of said bearing and shiftable disc positively in either direction.

20. In a variable speed transmission, two parallel shafts, an expansible V-pulley mounted on each of said shafts, a one-piece endless V-belt operatively connecting said pulleys, a housing enclosing said pulleys 'and beit, said housing being formed with an aperture large enough to permit passage therethrough o! said one pulley. a cover plate for said aperture, a non-rotatable member within said housing vnon-reciprocably associated with an element of said one pulley. and means carried on said cover plate and operable from outside said housing to reciprocate said member to expand or contract said one pulley.

21. In a device of the character described, the combination with a shaft carrying variable diameter transmission pulley comprising a coned disc xed on said shaft and a mating coned disc axially shiltable with respect to its fellow, of a stationary part provided with a bore substantially coaxial with said pulley. an adjusting member anguiariy nxed with said stationary part and ax-v ially fixedl with respect to said shiftable disc. ya,

v control member engaged in said bore for angular movement, thrust bearing means fixing said oontrol member axially of said bore, and motion converting means operative between said adjusting and control member for axially adjusting said adjusting member and said shiftable disc in response to angular movement of said control member.

PAUL B. REEVES. 

